Mayor John Cranley got involved and said he was concerned about a no confidence vote by one of the city's employee unions.

The workers that city residents rely on to collect garbage and repair streets call their work environment hostile.

Their union representative called it bare-faced management abuse.

"(Workers are) being cussed at, just doing whatever they want to do," AFSCME Local 250 president Kelly Malone said. "You know, there is no reason for doing it. They like to pit the employees against each other."

They have arrived at a watershed moment.

AFSCME Local 250 has voted no confidence in the director, Mike Robinson, and his deputy at Cincinnati Public Services.

"We spend countless dollars on grievances and disciplinary hearings and it just needs to come to a, it needs to come to a halt,” city worker and union representative Maurice Brown told WLWT News 5.

Workers grew more frustrated this winter when equipment breakdowns occurred, along with extended shifts for weeks on end.

The mayor said it's not surprising to hear of tension after such harsh circumstances at breakneck pace.

"I am concerned about the level of distrust that they would go so far and do a vote of no confidence," Cranley added.

So the mayor asked interim city manager Scott Stiles to meet with the union leaders separate from the department heads.

That process began Friday afternoon.

There's nothing more basic and more necessary that garbage services, as Cranley emphasized.

If the sanitary department is in turmoil, it strikes at the heart of Cranley’s agenda.

Malone said workers were disrespected and unevenly disciplined.

"We've asked management to address it on several, several occasions and it was never done," Malone said. "So, we had to do something."

The City Manager's Office said it takes employee concerns seriously, values all of its employees and the union, and is working to identify the best way to address the issues.

They like to pit the employees against each other.") WE RELY ON THEM ... TO COLLECT GARBAGE AND REPAIR STREETS... UNION WORKERS SAY ... IT'S A "HOSTILE" WORK ENVIRONMENT. ANGER HAS BUBBLED OVER AT PUBLIC SERVICES... THE SITUATION HAS GONE FROM A VOTE OF "NO CONFIDENCE" THIS WEEK... TO A STATEMENT OF CONCERN TONIGHT.... FROM THE CITY'S MAYOR. WLWT NEWS 5'S JOHN LONDON IS LIVE AT CITY HALL.... WITH TONIGHT'S BIG STORY. THE MAYOR WEARS BASICS FIRST LIKE A BADGE... POLICE, FIRE, ROAD REPAIR, GARBAGE COLLECTION. TONIGHT, A BIG PART OF THE BASICS IS IN TURMOIL... AND THERE'S TWO PARTS TO IT: WORKERS WHO SAY THEY'RE TREATED LIKE GARBAGE... AND THE GARBAGE SYSTEM ITSELF. After hearing about the turbulence within the city's public services department today, we drove along streets like Rosemont and Iliff and West Liberty. Residents say this mattress has been on the walkway here for over a week. It'll be another ten days before it's scheduled to be picked up. (Pat Conyers) ("I've been over here for six years and our city ain't never looked as bad.") Mismanagement of garbage service is among the accusations disgruntled city workers cite in their vote of "no confidence" in the Public Service management team. It's hardly the only one, though. Union reps met this afternoon with the City Manager to complain of verbal abuse and hostility in the workplace, being cursed at by managers. (Kelly Malone - AFSCME Local 250 President) ("We had to intervene. My members were telling us you better do something.") This winter's bruising longevity taxed and tested public service workers with extended shifts and -- at times -- unreliable equipment. (John Cranley - Mayor) ("Not surprising that there would be some tensions, however I am concerned about the level of distrust that they would go so far and do a vote of no confidence...") The city administration says it is working to identify how best to address the problems. The Mayor tells us he will soon ask Council to scrap the one garbage can limit. That doesn't address alleged hostility, but it would reverse a policy that has staunch supporters and foes. The whole thrust of the new limit is to encourage recycling and reduce landfill dependence. (Pat Conyers - Price Hill) ("But, we do need two garbage cans cause it don't work with one. That don't sound right to me. Give me two recycle and then give me one garbage? Naw. Should turn that around.") SHE HAS A SOUL MATE ON THAT IN THE MAYOR... HE WILL PUSH FOR THE OLD WAY, BUT IT'S UNCLEAR IF COUNCIL WILL BEND OR PUSH BACK. IT'S ALSO UNCLEAR WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION INTENDS TO DO IF THE MISTREATMENT ACCUSATIONS CAN BE VERIFIED. LIVE AT CITY HALL, JOHN LONDON, WLWT NEWS FIVE. TONIGHT, THE CITY MANAGER SAYS.... ALL EMPLOYEE CONCERNS ARE TREATED SERIOUSLY... AND THE CITY VALUES ITS EMPLOYEES AND THE UNION...

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